Alanna, the Tom Cat
by Dovebean
Summary: Yes, Alanna went to the convent. No, she did not go quietly.
1. Alanna's first fight

**Revised.**

Yes, Alanna went to the convent. No, she did not go quietly.

--

Dirt. It was a simple thing, dirt; always being washed away, gotten rid of, stomped down. It was different in all weather, from ice to mud to choking dust. Sometimes, Alanna wished she was that versatile. Bar that, she wished the dirt would at least choke her out of her misery.

The ride to the City of the Gods was laid with a never ending road of dirt, and each step Alanna rode on it made her more and more determined not to go. She could run away and... and… join the Shang, for all the God's sake! She didn't need to go to this convent, no one was forcing her.

She turned her horse around on the road and came face to face with the three Trebond guards behind her. Oh yeah, they were forcing her.

"Going somewhere Miss. Trebond?" well, she had already turned the horse in the other direction, might as well.

"I'll tell you where I'm not going Johnson, the Convent of the Goddess. I'd sooner fall off my horse." Johnson cocked an eyebrow at her stubborn chin and crossed arms. He traded a glance with another guard, Davis, and the two rode closer, one on each side of Alanna. She didn't like where this was going.

"If you insist, Miss. Trebond." He pushed her out of the saddle, _hard._ If that wasn't startling enough, she landed practically on Davis.

"What?!" Alanna began to understand when Davis pulled her into his saddle. She felt Johnson pull her feet out of her stirrups. About this time she began hitting and kicking. After many bruises, Alanna had landed a kick to Johnson's face and failed at an attempt at elbowing Davis in the groin but still she found herself sitting in front of Davis.

"Tie her hands together and her feet to the stirrups." The guards wearily approached the still struggling Alanna. Johnson frowned at her to obey, "if you're going to act like an animal, we'll treat you like one. The convent will have their work cut out for them if _you_ are to become a lady."

He turned to put a lead on her pony, so Alanna was forced to glare holes into his back. Her legs were tied to the stirrups already, but she got another good punch to some face as they grabbed her arms. As she sat there, trussed up like a pig, she fumed and Davis patting her on the shoulder sympathetically did not help. She looked at Maude with as much pleading as she ever had in her life.

Maude just sat upon her horse watching with a sad, worried look in her eyes.

--

**So here's the sitch:**

**The story has a long plot all planned out, if only I can get myself to write it. I'm also looking (unsuccessfully might I add) for a beta reader but until then I greatly appreciate the corrections. Thank you! **

**I will try to correct my sentence flow but I'm a theater weenie so sometimes it's written like lines. Sorry. (funny story, right now I'm running sound for Annie Get Your Gun and found out that half way through this chapter in my head Alanna started talking in a southern accent!) **

**and last of all, I hope you don't mind Sagesther, but I would like to steal that quote to incorporate later on. It could be fun ********.**

**A big Thank you to:**

**Sagesther, Aly-Of-Tortall13, Clouds of Sapphire, Lady Knight Jocelyn, Tomato-Vampire, The Shang Kudarung. **

**Thank you for reviewing!**

**Dovebean**


	2. the Tom Cat and the Girls in Towels

**A big Thank you to:**

**Sagesther, Aly-Of-Tortall13, Clouds of Sapphire, Lady Knight Jocelyn, Tomato-Vampire, The Shang Kudarung.**

Yes, Alanna went to the convent. No, she did not go quietly.

--

The ride to the Convent of the Goddess took three weeks. Around the first week on the road with Alanna trussed and gagged they stopped for the night at an inn. The guardsmen were told the inn was full, but a room upstairs could sleep another lady, Maude in with the other servants and the men could sleep in the den next door. As they were eager to get to the den, they promptly walked Alanna up the stairs in a fireman hold and dumped her in a room. Alanna listened as they walked away.

"You don't suppose that was a little cruel?"

"Nah," Alanna knew that was Davis, "see this bite she gave me? Does it look infected to you?"

Though she strained her ears and leaned against the door, the only sound Alanna heard was their footsteps retreating. That's when she noticed the two girls cowering in the corner in nothing but towels, staring at her in horror. Great, Alana thought, I get to share a room with a bunch of lily footed ladies.

"Do you think it's a tom cat?" the brunette obviously did not realized that even a cat would have over heard her.

"No Jocelyn," this was the other girl, "it's too big to be a cat. And it's got legs in there somewhere, I saw them." Finally Alanna realized what she must look like. After a week of being roughly handled her clothes were filthy from road dirt, her hair was matted and flying everywhere and she sat before them tied and gagged. As appearances went, hers was close to a tom cat's.

"Mgfum, fugmah." Alana fumed about being gagged, but thought that bite was so worth it.

"I think it's, a she!" the brunette called Jocelyn was coming closer, "and she's gagged!" Oh yeah. She was a brilliant one.

Jocelyn ran over to kneel by Alanna, ignoring her angry glare completely. Alanna was surprised at the sudden disappearance of Jocelyn's timidness but delighted when she began to pry open the knots holding Alanna hostage. Jocelyn ordered water from the other girl as Alanna's body attempted to cough out her lungs. The girl held the cup up and she drank deeply for the first time in days.

"Feeling better?" Jocelyn didn't give Alanna time to answer. "Tyra, be a dear and help her over to the tub." Tyra looked at Alanna and proceeded to roll her eyes and hold out a hand.

"She gets that way when she finds something that needs to be done. At times like these I call her the general. It makes her sing a sweeter tune, right quick." Alanna cracked her first smile in weeks as a hand came to swat Tyra behind the head.

"I heard that. That's insubordination all right; I can have you thrown out of the army! Instead your punishment is to put on some cloths!" Alanna actually joined in the laughter as Tyra made a show of realizing she was only wearing a towel. Jocelyn threw a shift at her, already wearing one of her own, and the last she laid out on a bed near Alanna.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. I lost it somewhere between the gag and the coughing." Jocelyn couldn't hold a straight face for long, Alanna laughed at her ridiculousness.

"I am Alanna of Trebond."

"Well, Alanna, I am Jocelyn of Queenscove and this is my sister Tyra. You get into that bath and clean yourself up, sorry but the water is probably cold by now. We'll be back soon with dinner soon, hope you like meat!" with that Jocelyn grabbed Tyra's arm. Alanna chuckled as Tyra gave a look like she was being led to the gallows as she was pulled backwards from the room.

For a moment Alanna observed the new atmosphere she had been dumped gracelessly in. Two beds, a window, a hearth and four walls made up a decent room in this inn. Not to mention two spunky sisters and a tub of water.

Alanna was overjoyed at the thought of being clean again and looking forward to a meal, even if she was eating with lily footed ladies. She had a feeling she wouldn't mind for much longer. And who knows? After tonight she might have some reinforcements to overpower Johnson. She smiled for the fourth time in as many minutes; things were starting to look up again.

--

**So yes. The story goes on, and I'm really getting in to it. I know the chapters are short but there will be a lot more of them! Hm. Yeah. **

**I'm still looking for a beta to tell me timidness is not a word, so if you care to volunteer I would be overjoyed. Hope you liked it; now press the purtty little purple bottom at the bottom and wish me happy birthday! :D**

**Dovebean**


	3. Of Chickens and Warriors

**Big thanks to The Purple Tyrant: You make me coherent!**

**And to all my reviewers: Pat Bryans, lemmesee, Lady Knight Jocelyn, SquirrelNutter412, Kate of Carlay. You keep me writing!**

Yes, Alanna went to the convent. No, she did not go quietly.

--

Tyra glared daggers at the guard and pointed to the bed. He did not have the sense to look abashed but simply moved the destination of his burden from the floor to the bed. Tyra sighed as she locked the door behind him. She turned to find Jocelyn untying a furious Alanna for the seventh time in as many days.

"You know if you rode like a civil creature you would not end up bound by noon."

"I'm starting to think she likes all the attention she gets by trying to beat them." In retaliation Alanna threw a pillow at Tyra's head with her feet. "Hey, enough of that. Where'd do you think they put your boot knife?"

"Mfugama!"

Jocelyn laughed. "Oh, Tyra! Do you think we should just leave her to suffer?"

Alanna used her newly freed hands to pull out her gag and commence beating Jocelyn with another pillow. Of course, this just led Tyra to come in as Jocelyn's reinforcement, and by the end of it they were all covered in feathers and laughing too hard to care.

"Great, now I look like a chicken!" Alanna remarked jokingly.

"Now maybe you can sneak out; the guards aren't going to stop a red head chicken."

The Queenscove sisters laughed, but Alanna sat there thinking about it. They were two days from the Convent of the Goddess, which didn't leave Alanna much time to break free. She looked at the feathers closely. Could this disguise get her away?

Unbeknownst to the brooding Alanna, the sisters had traded a glance. They had grown attached to the wild, spirited female who was sharing their ride to the Convent of the Goddess. They had even helped her escape a few times, only to be sullen when she appeared hog tied over Davis's saddle in the morning. Tyra was worried about the thought Alanna was putting in to her choices, Jocelyn was worried about the lack thereof.

So while Alanna was not expecting Tyra to upend a pitcher on her head, she really should have seen it coming. And while Tyra was not expecting Alanna to attack her in retaliation it was just as predictable.

They wrestled on the floor for a while. Jocelyn simply got out of the way and moved to the bed with a sigh. Tyra was more impulsive then her, but she still thought things threw. It was a trait their father had drilled into their heads. Consequence and action, for everything you gained you paid a price. All Jocelyn ever wanted was a fiefdom to run and many children to take care of. If it took a husband to accomplish that, it was only a bonus. Most of all she knew the price that she'd have to pay to achieve that, five years at the convent was well worth it to her. Jocelyn sighed again, thinking over the dreams of the girls in front of her. The last thing they wanted was husbands; they wanted power and choices.

"What are you going to do when we arrive at the convent?" Jocelyn did not know who she was directing the question to, but it got their attention.

"I am not going to reach the convent." Alanna glared at the two sisters with her chin stuck out.

"Come on Alanna!" Tyra was exasperated, she was sure she had knock sense into the girl! "It's been two and a half weeks and you're still here! They are going to hand you over to the Sisters of the Goddess."

"Well, then I will run away from the convent. They will be much easier to escape from then soldiers."

"What then? Where will you go when you escape the convent?" Jocelyn came to finish the circle.

"I am not sure. I will go back to Trebond or I can... join the Shang! Run away to the islands!"

"Oh that sounds like such a successful, well thought out plan." Tyra's dry sarcasm rubbed at Alanna's nerves making her pace the room like a wild cat.

"So it is not planned well. Who cares? I want to become a warrior, not stay at some convent and become a lady! I do not want to learn how to be soft, how to giggle, how to be pretty, how to be coy, sweet and flatter every man with a sword! I do not want screaming children and to obey some idiot male who would not know which end of a spoon to eat with if it bit him! I want to learn how to fight, I want to have choices. I want to rule my own life! I do not want a husband, I want a sword!"

There was silence as Alanna's tantrum ended. It was what she wanted, her dreams for years. She could not stand to turn around and look at the other two, especially Jocelyn. She heard the swish of skirts and felt a hand on her arm.

"Being a wife is not a life for the weak of heart." Jocelyn teased the red head, "I am not insulted that you would not care for that life." Alanna looked at Jocelyn, not sure she believed the other girl.

"No, really." That was Tyra, still sitting on the floor, unfazed. "I don't want to be another frilly skirt, either. But ladies aren't so bad; after all, someone needs to have babies."

"Yes, I will be having enough children for the three of us." Jocelyn went to go sit on the wet, feathery floor with her sister. "We are not telling you to be a 'frilly skirt," she made a face at Tyra, "We are-well,_ I_ am asking if you are thinking things through."

"You run out of here with hell at your heels and what are you going to do? Join the Shang? You're seven years too late for that. Run to the islands? Even a crazy carrot top like you isn't going to make it across the sea without money." Alanna did not like how sensible her new friends were, but she couldn't help thinking that they were right.

"So that's it? You want me to just give up?" Before Alanna even could even finish speaking, Jocelyn threw what was left of a pillow at her head, exasperated.

"You are not listening!" Jocelyn's cry was silenced by Tyra's hand on her arm; the other girl looked at Alanna.

"There are other ways to be independent. I'm going to seek adventure and travel the world with no strings attached." Tyra paused, with a sigh.

Alanna took the bait. "How are you going to do that at the convent?"

"I'm going to be a great mage! I'm going to learn all kinds of spells, and become so powerful that I can save whole villages from…strife! People will love me and cheer when I come to town. Kings will pay me great sums for saving their kingdom, and I'll see all there is to see. Most of all, I will do it all without a man." Tyra had gotten up to dance around the room in the most feminine act Alanna had seen her do yet.

At the end of it Alanna leaned over to Jocelyn and said "And you thought my dreams were farfetched."

Jocelyn giggled uncontrollably while Tyra glared at Alanna.

"I have a strong Gift and girls can and have been sent to the Convent of the Goddess to learn high magic." As if that settled it, Tyra sat down with the two other girls. There was silence for a little while as each was embroiled in their own thoughts

"So what am I supposed to do then?"

The girls looked at Alanna for a while before Jocelyn spoke hesitantly. "The best fighters are in Corus. So you should make it there eventually."

Alanna nodded, and Tyra picked up the thread. "And what's the best ride to Corus?" The sisters looked at each other. "The convent." They spoke simultaneously, getting more and more excited.

"It's perfect!" Tyra cried.

"You will live at the convent and learn skills!"

"Go into the mage academy! Learn fighting magic!"

"On weekends, you could even go into town and set up fighting lessons."

"Especially if you're dressed like a boy."

"Then in five years time you will have a free ride to the palace."

"Where you'll meet knights."

"And Shang warriors!"

"You'll have basic fighting skills!"

"Prove you are not a lily footed lady, prove you are useful. Prove you are worth teaching complex moves."

"Get a training master and learn to wield a sword like no one else."

"Then travel the world!"

"Have adventures!"

The two girls finally took a breath and looked at Alanna; she was very blown away.

"It will be hard." Jocelyn was discouraged by Alanna's reaction and not as excited anymore.

"But with us around to help you every step of the way, you'll give 'em hell." Tyra was wearing a huge encouraging smile.

"And," Jocelyn had turned to Tyra, "you will have someone to go haring off on adventures with, and she might have some chance of keeping you alive."

"And you, Lady Jocelyn, will be making a lovely home for us to return to." They smiled at each other, enjoying the picture they had just created.

Alanna sighed, "That could work. _If_ I can keep from going crazy after five years at the convent, _if_ I can find someone to teach me sword fighting, _if _ I get in to the mage academy, _if_ I find a Shang in Corus." She dropped another hopeless sigh.

"It's not as coincidental as you think. I have some friends in the City of the Gods who could teach you a thing or two, and if I can get into the Academy, you will. Trust me, if one happenstance does not fall in line, we'll find a way." Tyra's eyes were burning with as fierce a determination as Alanna's were not. Tyra could tell Alanna did not want to go to the convent, but she couldn't see a better way. Nobody would let her become a warrior because she was a girl. Alanna would have to train without all the disapproving eyes noticing until those eyes didn't have the power to stop her. Tyra couldn't understand what part of this Alanna wasn't getting.

"You are right about how many ways there are to skin a rabbit but going to the Convent is not going to lead to one of them." Alanna looked at the calm Jocelyn and resolute Tyra. In the few short weeks she had known them they had become better then friends, almost sisters. Alanna knew that they only wanted to help her in any way they could. Suddenly the room was too stuffy.

"I need some fresh air." Without hesitation Alanna climbed the nightstand and took her only exit: the window. She had hit the ground running before either girl could respond.

"Now, why had we not thought of that as an escape route?"

Tyra snorted, "Leads right out to the court yard, the men dice there all night."

"So she will be back in the morning." Though Jocelyn said it as a statement Tyra confirmed it. With a sigh the sisters went to dinner.

Maude was leaning on the fence by the road. She thought about her evening, slightly disturbed at her own behavior. How had she justified drugging the guards to sleep? How did she convince herself to aid her crazy Trebond? That was why Maude was waiting here; she wanted a few last words with Alanna before she was off. Most of all, Maude wanted to go with her, but she was an old and frail creature and would only hinder Alanna, though that may all be for the best. Maude only wanted what was best for Alanna, and with Alanna's extreme aversion to the convent she would probably end up wandering the streets of the City of the Gods before long, that would never do. A sigh escaped her, why couldn't Alanna just be a proper lady?

"Maude?"

With all her musings Maude had not heard Alanna sneaking across the courtyard. Now she hid her amazement at the uncertain tone in Alanna's voice. It had been so long since Alanna had come to her with insecurity. Had Alanna changed her mind?

"Here child." She watched as Alanna came to rest on the fence beside her, "Funny seeing you here."

"I know." Alanna stayed still as she stared at the stars over head. Maude watched her slowly let down her guard. "Maude…" The silence settled.

"Something on your mind?" pause, this conversation was going slowly.

"I …" Alanna paused and looked down from the stars out to the road. "I… don't want to be a lady."

"Trebond needs a lady's touch."

"Thom will find a lady to marry." Maude studied the girl's face, what she saw there gave her some hope.

"You don't want to be tied to a fiefdom."

Alanna glared at the darkness, still not looking at Maude. "I want to be a warrior."

"You can become a lady and still fight."

"I have no interest in lady like things."

"What of being quiet? Being subtle? Being able repair clothing and gear? Walking silently? Cooking meals? Being able to take care of your health? To take care of others? Being able to predict how others will react to you and those around you? Being able to keep calm and take control in a situation? Being able to manage affairs and your people? Have you no interest in any of it?"

Alanna had turned to stare at Maude while she listed. "The convent teaches all that?"

"And more." Maude made sure she had Alanna's eyes, "the convent teaches girls more than how to snare a husband, teaches them to be wives, to be women_._"

Suddenly Alanna understood. "To be the other half of authority."

"Aye," Maude smiled, "They don't just get married and spend their days looking frilly. They have a fiefdom to protect and manage when the man isn't home."

Alanna's eyes grew hard, "and give it up when the man comes home."

"No, when he is home they have to manage the fiefdom while making him think he is." Maude cursed her mouth for letting that slip. Alanna's open mind had been such a blessing, but one arrant sentence and Maude could see Alanna turn away from the idea.

"I do not want to be a wife." There was silence, Alanna turned to the stars once more. She was thinking about warriors and maidens. The convent held no path to being a warrior, but the barracks held no path to being a woman. She thought on warrior maidens, how long ago and far away they lived. Couldn't the two coexist? Why could a woman not also be a warrior?

They could. And she would.

That decided her. Alanna looked down at Maude smiling, then proceeded to laugh at the confused expression on her face. Maude watched in wonder as Alanna pushed off the fence and wandered across the court yard to climb back through a window.

Maude traced the constellations trying to figure out what had just taken place. The third time she traced the Cat, Maude paused and asked the Gods for help taking care of her fiery ward.

--

**So what'd ya think?! Just click the pretty little button down below and tell me. (Just Do It, it gives you good luck!)**


	4. I Like Your Style of Revenge!

**Okay, so this is the world: square, eh?**

Yes, Alanna went to the convent. No, she did not go quietly.

--

As Alanna climbed through the window for the second time that night, she climbed into darkness. She paused on the nightstand and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim light thrown off by embers. She was surprised to see Jocelyn and Tyra sleeping on the bed; her talk with Maude had taken longer then she thought. She shook her head and went to find some dinner.

As this room only had one bed Alanna was given the choice to sleep on the floor or in the same bed with her friends. She chose the bed over the floor; it had been a long time since she slept on something soft and not bound. Being extra quiet she snuck into the bed, but her silence was wasted. Right before she was off to sleep Tyra hugged her with one arm and whispered, "Welcome back."

Alanna was up and gone before Tyra or Jocelyn awoke and wandered to breakfast. They didn't find her but they did find their guards, the ones that weren't yawning were holding their heads, no one seemed to notice Alanna's absence. That is until Johnson stormed in.

"Where is she?!" his voice was so loud it produced groans from many of those with aching heads, "Where is that _lady_? That mongrel?!"

"Looking for me?" Alanna pushed through the kitchen door to the common room as everyone stared at her in shock. Most of the men were staring because of the turquoise dress she was wearing. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but it was the easiest to steal from Jocelyn's trunk. The Queenscove sisters were staring because Alanna was _smiling at Johnson. _

"Mongrel? Is that any way to treat the women who brought you breakfast?" she handed the stunned man a plate of eggs. He took it shocked and watched as she went to the table to administer eggs to the rest of the men.

"Well, aren't you going to sit and eat?" Alanna watched as his shock took him to his seat and brought his fork to his plate and mouth.

Jocelyn snapped out of it. "Alanna, what are you up to?" she whispered so the others could not hear.

Alanna just smiled, "I wouldn't eat the eggs this morning."

"I get it!" Tyra spoke over Jocelyn's inquiring gaze, "you poisoned it so you can escape, right?!"

"No! No, I have decided to go to the convent in peace." The girls looked like they didn't believe that, oh well. "I just may have fried the eggs with dead frogs and fish scales." Alanna's devious smile spread to the two other girls.

"Why did the cook even let you set foot in the kitchen?" Jocelyn demanded.

"She wasn't alarmed until I went to find the frogs." Alanna stuck her tongue out at Jocelyn, "By then she just let the crazy noble have her way."

"I have no idea how you thought of it but I like your style of revenge." Tyra whispered as they turned to watch the men eat funny tasting eggs.

--

**Big thanks to Purple Tyrant and: ****Lady Knight Jocelyn, Shang Leopard,** **Clouds of Sapphire, SquirrelNutter412, Kate of Carlay**

**Lots of love to you! Now give some back and tell me what you thought of this fun little scene.**

**Dovebean**


	5. Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

**A/N: Yes, I hope this story isn't like all the other 'Alanna goes to the convent' ones. I mean how many have a pair of Queenscove sisters and mass chaos? So I'm hoping you like this, because **_**now**_** I'm afraid you're going to get bored of Alanna at the convent. sigh**

Yes, Alanna went to the convent. No, she did not go quietly.

--

The party reached the City of the Gods later then was expected. Then again, it took many hours for the men to expel all the dead frogs and fish scales from their systems. By the end of it, the three girls could barely conceal their laughter. In rainy days to come, they would look back on those memories and laugh.

They rode into the City of the Gods in style, the three ladies were dressed a little too well for riding and the men had spent their night shining their meager amount of armor. Maude, of course, had not changed one bit.

The little Alanna knew about the City of the Gods she had learned from fleeting forays into her father's domain: the library. There she had learned that the city was very old. While Corus was building its first wall, a small temple was flourishing on a prosperous trade route. When a trader was led to great wealth by a vision at the Temple of All Gods, the temple became a city with every occupation needed to fuel the people and animals that came with wealthy traders and temples.

The amount of people was apparent to the party as it rode through the gates. The scene exploded with color and movement in the three girls' eyes. Alanna and Jocelyn stared all around at the encroaching buildings and people. Silks, spices, and gems poured over the stalls of one street. Soon the party turned down another street and there was meat of every kind, dead and alive, crowding buildings and store fronts. Another turn and they stumbled upon an inn called the Broken Barrel or rather the occupants being thrown out of the inn stumbled upon them.

The large country boys, who looked like they threw bulls for fun, did not miss a step as they came in contact with the girls' party. Johnson steered the party down a side street as the ponies pranced nervously. They just barely missed a flying country boy. Alanna did notice that Tyra put herself between the country boys and Jocelyn, but she was forced to focus on her own horse as the cobles in the road became less even.

"Johnson, this isn't the Main Way. Know where you're going?" Leaning forward in her saddle, Maude looked at the bristling guardsman.

"I know exactly where we are." He turned his horse down another unmarked street trying to appear more assured then he was.

With a snort, Tyra mumbled so only Alanna could hear, "Even I know where we are: here." Alanna flashed Tyra a grin but Tyra was not smiling, she was concentrating.

It wasn't just the road that was in shambles. The buildings were decrepit, the fountains leaked and the overwhelming noise of the streets behind them was soon muffled. Here even the children were hushed to a silence that made Jocelyn's hair stand on end.

There were many people standing around but they were not the colorful merchants of the Main Way. The girls noticed people of all ages and sizes watching them. They were haggard and resembled the buildings: dirty white wash, crumbling foundations and broken windows. Tyra stayed close to Jocelyn, hand on what looked suspiciously like Alanna's missing boot knife.

The hoof beats of the travelers rang in the small streets and Alanna felt the eyes peeking out from boarded windows, dark alleys and doorways. She felt them watch her until she was out of sight. She had the feeling of a mouse under a cat's glare and it wasn't improving.

Maude stopped their forward motion at an unmarked square. Jocelyn and Alanna watched in amazement as Johnson and Maude argued in whispers, neither knew a heated argument could be so quiet. Their attention was drawn away by the uncertain guards.

"They call this part of the city the Rows." Tyra whispered to the other girls but never took her eyes off their surroundings.

"Where did you hear that?" Alanna spoke just as quietly.

"There was a guard at Queenscove, name was Simon. When…" Tyra paused, then continued scanning the area, "well, he kinda of took me under his wing, you know? He said I would need to know how to protect myself, taught me a few knife tricks. Told me all about the City of the Gods, 'specially that I avoid the lower city, what they call the Rows."

"It is that bad?" Alanna was enthralled by the idea of such adventure.

"My guess is that we're just on the edge of it here. We should move fast though; the Rows are known for its unpredictability."

Jocelyn looked nervous, "Tyra…"

"I'm here Jocelyn." Tyra gave her sister a reassuring smile and one armed hug. "Never far."

Alanna dismounted, spooked by the haunted look in Jocelyn's eyes. When had Tyra become so protective of her sister? Alanna did not like the feeling of helplessness these streets gave her; she needed to go somewhere just to prove there was no danger. She left her pony with the entourage and walked towards an alley with considerably less eyes than the rest. She heard 

Tyra's gasp from behind her and imagined the girl's indecision. Protect the defenseless sister or the biting red head? Tyra didn't move, but Alanna felt her eyes trying to pull her back.

Alanna moved forward through the darkness. The alley smelled awful and was littered with trash and carcasses of animals. She didn't even want to think about what was under all that. She wandered on with less confidence. When she reached the end of the alley way she realized maybe this was not such a good idea.

Too late. The barren alley way opened onto a street that was teaming with so much life that Alanna was dragged away from her alley and farther into the Rows. The people were diverse here, of every shape, size and walk of life. Alanna watched wide eyed a man too fat to move with wine in one hand and a woman on the other. The crowd pushed her onward where she saw a woman, tall, dark and skinny, with almost nothing on, curling around a door post; three more leaned out the windows above. She spotted a muscled man with dark hair and tear drops tattooed on his face enter an alleyway with a bare sword. Her horror grew as she was almost pushed into a circle of men fourteen times her size wrestling in huge circles. She threw herself from the crowd at the first respectable place she saw.

The sign overhead read The Singing Swan. Alanna was just grateful it was more solid than the throng. She leaned against the wall for support and waited while she gathered her feet under herself. Who knew how_ much_ one little alleyway hid? Just as she pushed off the wall, far past ready to find the Queenscove sisters, she was spotted.

She felt the moment their malicious eyes focused on her small slender frame and it made her shudder. Alanna thought they were brothers from their same brown curly hair, though one was rather tall and another very fat. Their powdered faces and stage foils gave them away as players. She watched them advance with anticipation in their brown eyes. There were no words passed, no looks spared; that was what stayed in Alanna's memories for years to come. In that moment, she thought of all the stories she had overheard in the kitchen of evil men defiling innocent women. Now she understood a prey's terror; her body was frozen as the three players grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into the neighboring alley. They threw her against the wall, and as her head hit with a splitting crack, she snapped out of her daze.

With the fury of a wet cat, she flailed her arms and legs, contacting anybody she could. Though some of her punches landed, the men's laughs told her it wasn't enough. Alanna's eyes turned wild; she refused to allow these men to be the end of her. She needed to survive; she needed to prove the others wrong, and she couldn't do that if she was dead and bloody. She grabbed the only weapon near her: a garbage can. With all the strength she could muster she hurled it at the players. The tall one was ungainly enough to fall over it, and she was proud that he did not get up again, but now she was out of things to throw and out of options.

None of them noticed the sound of the door opening, but they did notice when a dark haired women grabbed the two unharmed players by the ears.

"Now boys, ye know there's a man in Corus who'd appreciate a few more ears for 'is collection. Shall I give 'im a few?"

The players shook their heads violently even though the women still had their ears hostage

"Ye know the Rules of the Rows, boys. Next time I don't ask." She waited for them to give their word that they would never break the Rules again, then sent them on to the green room. They helped their mate into the door she had slipped out of.

"I do not know about you but I would not trust their words as far as I could throw them." Alanna was done with finesse, for a life time, but her blunt statement only made the women in front of her let out a guffaw.

"Neither would I lass, neither would I." The woman turned to examine brash young lass in front of her, realizing only at a second glance that the girl smeared with goo was a noble. "I am Roxanne and this here is my theatre."

"Alanna." She studied the Swan closely.

Roxanne watched Alanna eye the building. Alanna was a sight to see in a destroyed lady's dress with red hair pulled back in a braid and purple eyes. Roxanne's mind touched on her cousin's last letter, and his much too nonchalant comment about purple eyes. She would have to watch out for this youngster. Roxanne sighed, just another thing to keep track of.

"I need to be gettin' back to the green room 'fore my Cyrano gets too drunk." Roxanne eyed Alanna carefully. "Would you like to stay 'till I can help ye back or can ye stay in one piece?"

"She'll stay in one piece, thank you." Tyra stood at the mouth of the alley with Johnson, Davis and Maude at her back, her hand glowed a faint green with her gift revealing the tag she had found Alanna with.

"Just makin' sure." Roxanne flashed the angry girl a disarming smile before she turned back to Alanna, "ye be coming 'round the Swan, here, if ye lookin' for entertainment. Ye hear? I'll be lookin' for ya. Ye got nothing to fear from the Rows now, lassie." With a wave to the party waiting at the mouth of the alley she slipped into the stage door and was gone.

Tyra was instantly there giving Alanna one of her one armed hugs. "Did you have a bout of insanity? Why did you run off, Alanna?!" Though her voice was angry, Alanna could tell it was just concern.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time."

Tyra looked about to explode at Alanna's shrug but Maude broke her off.

"Who's your friend?" Maude also gave Alanna a hug but looked at the door Roxanne had disappeared into.

"Her name is Roxanne, she owns the Singing Swan."

They were all shaken out of their greetings as Johnson tied a rope between his wrist and one of Alanna's. The redhead protested before he even finished.

"You will not!" Alanna began but he had put a hand over her mouth before she could continue.

"I told your father I'd get you to the convent. You weren't helpin' me before and you aren't helpin' me now." He tried to stare her down but lost her eyes when he pulled away his hands with a yelp. She had bit him. "You little…" He didn't finish that, just used the rope to pull her fuming from the alley, through the streets to a better part of the city. Alanna contemplated running through the circle of wrestlers just because Johnson would have to follow. She endured her short leash with a wicked smile.

When they finally found Jocelyn, she was waiting with the guards on a fountain in a better part of town. Jocelyn was overjoyed and threw herself off the ledge she sat on to run and almost hug Alanna.

Alanna stopped her, "I am covered in muck, let's not make your first impression just as bad as mine is going to be."

Jocelyn gave Alanna an icy glare and threw herself into the hug anyways. Cringing Alanna found she appreciated Jocelyn's hug; it finished steadying her nerves.

"I don't know about you, lady, but I'd appreciate clean clothes and a soft bed…" With a groan, Maude got back in the saddle, waiting on Johnson and the noble still gracelessly tied to him.

"Yes, Johnson." Alanna caught a hint of what Tyra called the General in Jocelyn's tone. "An inn for the night would be good, then the convent in the early morning."

Johnson looked unsure, glancing at his captive noble.

"I am not going anywhere; will you let me go now?" Alanna tried to look innocent and small; Johnson's snort told her it wasn't working.

"Like hell. We'll go to an inn but you're ridin' with me." Mounting, he pulled Alanna up to ride in front of him. She was glad she was still traveling with him so she could cook his breakfast with cow pies. Jocelyn just laughed, knowing that look of vengeance on Alanna's face, and mounted. Tyra took the reins of Alanna's mount and they headed towards clean clothes and soft beds.

--

**Huge thanks to Purple Tyrant for helping me rewrite this chapter three times. Also to:**

**.o0-Rina K.-0o., Lady Knight Jocelyn, SquirrelNutter412, Kate of Carlay, Lady Kale.**

**Thanks for the encouragement, I love how some of you thought of fish scales and egg entrées before Alanna evil smile. Thank you and keep comenting!!**

**-Dovebean**


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